“This is a woman who looks like she’s in a lot of pain. I wish her nothing but love and compassion,” she said. “Being vulnerable on TV — when she was talking about living in a halfway house, I actually cried when I watched it. She’s in a lot of pain. She’s a real talent. I wish her nothing but compassion and love, and I hope she comes back stronger than ever. … Screw that guy, she doesn’t need him!”

The daytime diva’s divorce comes after 21 years of marriage — and a particularly trying time. Earlier this month, Williams revealed that she’s been living in a sober house due to her “struggle with cocaine in the past.” And rumors have long swirled about Hunter’s alleged infidelity.

“Thank you to everyone for respecting the family’s privacy during this time. Kevin is supportive of Wendy and they are working through this process together,” her personal representative told PEOPLE in a statement. “No additional comment will be provided at this time.”

A representative for her show released the following statement: “Wendy and her family have been a part of Debmar-Mercury for over 10 years,. We respect their privacy regarding personal matters. As always, we remain committed to bringing an entertaining and topical show to our viewers.”